Some signals are loud: people quitting, projects failing, customers complaining.

Others are quieter, harder to spot at first. A subtle shift in energy. An uncomfortable silence in meetings. A feeling that something is "off" beneath the surface.

An Employee Experience (EX) Survey can help uncover what’s really going on before small cracks become major breaks. But how do you know when it’s time to act?

Here are seven signs your organisation can't afford to ignore.

1. Engagement Scores Are Flat or Falling

If your latest engagement survey results have stalled or dipped, it's a red flag. But don't just chase the score — chase the story behind it.

An EX survey dives deeper to uncover root causes like unclear expectations, lack of career growth, or broken communication channels. Explore how a well-designed EX survey captures the full story of work.

2. Turnover Is Creeping Up

Exit interviews often come too late. If turnover is rising — especially among high performers or early-career employees — it's a sign of unmet needs.

EX surveys help you understand where in the employee journey people are getting stuck, frustrated, or disillusioned.

3. Change Initiatives Are Stalling

Organisational change requires trust. If your change programs are hitting resistance, slowing down, or quietly failing, it’s time to listen better.

An EX survey can reveal hidden fears, uncertainties, or mismatched expectations that leaders might miss.

4. Leadership Trust Feels Fragile

Trust is the bedrock of performance, but it's not a given. If you sense a growing "us vs them" dynamic between employees and leadership, act fast.

EX surveys measure trust signals directly, giving you a map to rebuild confidence before it fractures further.

5. Wellbeing Issues Are Rising

More absenteeism. More burnout. More quiet quitting.

If wellbeing conversations are becoming more urgent, it's time to check whether your systems, workloads, and culture are truly supporting people — or slowly draining them.

6. Your Feedback Loops Are One-Way

If "feedback" in your organisation mostly flows downward — from leaders to employees — you’re missing critical intelligence.

An EX survey opens two-way channels, signaling that every voice counts and every experience matters.

7. You’re Guessing More Than Knowing

When leaders start sentences with "I think people feel..." or "It seems like..." — it’s a warning sign.

Good leadership is built on empathy and evidence. An EX survey moves you from guessing to knowing, with data that’s both human and actionable.

Example: Listening Early, Acting Fast

A mid-sized tech company noticed rising sick leave and a slight dip in customer satisfaction. They ran an EX survey focused on workload and support structures.

They discovered a growing mismatch between team capacity and project expectations. By realigning resourcing and training within three months, they reversed the trend — and boosted both employee wellbeing and customer outcomes.

How the VALUE Method™ Helps

Using the VALUE Method™, you can turn these warning signs into a blueprint for growth:

• Vision: Clarify why you’re listening.

• Architecture: Build the right survey.

• Listening: Gather honest data.

• Understanding: Decode the patterns.

• Evolution: Act with courage and consistency.

EX surveys aren’t just about finding problems. They’re about finding possibilities.

Final Thought: Don’t Wait for Problems

The best time to listen is before trust frays, before people disengage, before culture cracks. Find out how to design an effective EX survey that invites honest feedback.